A new-to-me grain! Buckwheat in its hulled grain form: buckwheat groats! I’ve been using buckwheat flour for about a year now in all of my gluten-free baking, but I’ve only used the grain once before in a veggie burger. It was time to try it out on its own! And it is so earthy and grassy and delicious. I am hooked on buckwheat!

A traditional Eastern European dish using the hulled, chopped & toasted buckwheat grains (kasha) is Kasha Varnishkes,buckwheat with bow tie noodles. Now that is something I’m going to have to try.

I was inspired here by the earthy tastes in the buckwheat, and so paired it with plenty of garlic and some collard greens. Oh yeah. I think mushrooms would be great with kasha too. I cooked some extra, so I’ve got enough to experiment with this week. I’m thinking Veganomicon-inspired mushroom gravy and maybe some tofu or beans. Mmmm.

“And what are those weird things on the side”, you may be asking yourself… well, they are a veggie & you’ll have to check back tomorrow to find out more about them!

In a pot over high heat, combine buckwheat, stock, and 2 garlic cloves, and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer 10-15 minutes, until buckwheat has softened and absorbed the water.

Pour olive oil into in a large pan over medium-low heat, and add onions & garlic. Sweat until the onions are translucent. Add the collards, and cook until warmed through but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked buckwheat and harissa, and stir to incorporate all of the ingredients — a heat-resistant spatula works really well here.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Want to try some recipes with Buckwheat Flour? They’re gluten-free and delicious: